davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10

eXertiOns, and the schooner fills away
again in pursuit of the crew that are
now being towed by this tinny horse.
But the fish is becoming exhausted, and
the men now take the line and slowly
haul in-an unlimited struggle until the
fish is well aboard, when an attempt is
made to throw rope about the sword.
In the struggle that ensues, the fish
sometimes Oyerturns the boat and throws
the crew into the water, or drives its
sword into the dOry, or gives a vicious
slash with its weapon, making the crew
lie down to avoid the attack but finally
a rope is thrown about the sword, and
the monster is secured and lowed along
side the schooner, and soon hoisted
aboard; two days later it is in the
Boston market.
A curious fact in connection with the
swordtlsh is that as common as are the
adults, probably no fisherman on the
American coast has ever seen a young
one, or one less than foot long. This
is owing to the fact that the sWOrdtsh
breeds upon the high seas, or possibly in
European waters Young ones are often
seen on the Mediterranean shores, and
the fisheries there are quite as, if not more
valuable than in America The young
swOrdish-the Infants so unlike its
parent that few would recognize rela
tionship. Instead of a sword, both jaws
are of equal length, and armed with fine
sharp teeth. Some species have long,
sharp spines projecting from their vari-
GUS parts, and they change in appear
ance as they grow older.
The Greek sword fisherman, and espec-
tally the Italians, follow the fish in o
large row-boat; the harpooner standing
upon an elevated perch at the bow. The
men sing songs and utter prayers as they
row along that are supposed to give them
good luck. With the heavy boat, clanking
oars and the sound of many voices noise
enough is produced to alarm the fish if it
was in any way timid, yet the men bring
in many hundreds of pounds, and are even
more successful than the skillful har-
pooners of American waters.
CHAs. FREDERICK HOLDER
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
NOT A CRATER.
The Volcanic Beds of Connecticut No3
Due to Lava.

In a letter to the Meriden Conn., Sci
entifc Association, Professor Davis, Of
Harvard College, writes as follows OF the
volcanic ash beds" in Connecticut: "As
to the name volcanic crater that you
have given 10 it, beg leave to make
few comments. The deposit in question
may be traced along several disjointed
beds of out-crop, exposing in total
length of about mile, and maintaining
tolerablv constant thickness of fifty or
one hundred feet. Its original extension
was probably over a surface of several
square miles. but there is no evidence to
show that it was ever much thicker than
now. 1t rests on shales OF sandstone,
and is covered by flow of lava perhaps
100 feet thick, and this is in turn covered
by several feet of shales, on top of which
lies the great lava flow that makes IN Its
present dislocated outcrop the Hanging
hills, Lamentation, Highly and other
mountains. The deposit in question IS
composed of ashes, through which are
scattered numerous large oval masses OF
compact lava, that may reasonably De
interpreted as volcanic bombs, or trag-
ments of lava blown from the lava Gus
of some vent of eruption. Unfortu-
natelv this vent has not been found.
Doubtless, at the time of the eruption, a
volcanic cone of ashes and lava may
have been built up over the vent, and
crater may have been formed at the top
of the cone, but we see now nothing OF
cone or crater; we see only the materials
thrown some distance from the vent, or
possibly crater,a and distributed in broad
relatively thin bed, after the fashion OF
ash beds in the neighborhood OF eXlstlng
volcanoes | therefore submit that ASH
beds would be more appropriate name
than volcanic crater for the seVerai
lodges in your neighborhood. '-E1.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10

at them with the terrific speed they are
known to possess. Perhaps the most re-
markable instance of their power is
shown in the attack upon the ship For
tune, of Plymouth Mass. When she re-
turned from the Pacific she was put in
the drydock, when the stump of sword
was observed projecting from her hull.
Examination showed that the fish must
have struck the Fortune with the
force of ball from an old-fashioned
twenty-four FOUNDER, as the weapon
had pierced first the copper sheathing,
then an inch-board understanding, then
a three-inch plank of hard wood, passing
into solid white oak timber foot in
thickness, then through two and a-half
inch hard-oak ceiling, finally entering the
head of a barrel of oil, the tip of the sword
touching the fluid, but not allowing
drop to escape. In its struggles the
monster had broken off the weapon and
escaped, probably to die of starvation.
In large vessels the shock of contact
is not felt; but in smaller crafts it is
very perceptible. When off Cape Hat
teras the smack Morning Star, bound
from Mystic to Key West, was struck by
a large fish; the men at first thought
they had collided with floating spar,
but almost Immediately she began to
leak so badly that the captain signaled
vessel to stand by him. The men were
unable to gain on the water, and the
smack put into Charleston the next day,
and was "hove down." when they found
that the sword ofsa swordfish had
penetrated planking, timber and ceiling,
SO that an entire plank had to be taken
up before they could continue. In small
vessels the immediate danger is still
greater. A dory, struck off Long Island,
was sunk; the sword came directly up
between the fisherman's feet. Six inches
the other way and it would have i'm
paled him; as it was, he had the pres
ence of mind to seize the sword, and
though his boat was sinking he held the
fish until another boat picked him up.
They found him sitting in the water
with his coat roundabout the sword.
The little sloop Red Hot, owned by the
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
CRIMINALS DOINGS.
A Detectives Narrative of the Ups and
Down of Some Crooks.

There is something strange about the ups
and downs of criminals" said Detective Mark
Hagan, of Baltimore, the other day. There is
Rute Miner, who with Big Jim Burns and
Papes' noted sneak, robbed the clerk OF
banking firm of $4,000 in coupons few
years ago in one of the city banks. He has
had upward of $4,000 at one time in his
possession as his share of job, and has been
known to steal nearly quarter million of
dollars in his time. To-day he is in New
York prison serving a siX-months' term for
stealing a cheap overcoat Burns was
even Weather. Two years ago he made
a great haul in Europe. A short time
since | heard he was Jailed in Switzerland
for making off with clock. These two
men are as expert pair of bank thieves as
live on top of earth. When 'Papes' came
here with them to steal the coupons he
could not resist the desire to pilfer even in
small way, as was atterward discovered. The
trio reached this city on Saturday and
stopped at an uptown hotel. Papes, who has
died since, was not in good health. He decided
day and spend the hours IN reading, of
which he was very fond. Strolling along
Baltimore street in search of a book
store where he could make a suitable
purchase. became across the Methodist Book
Concern, near Calvert street, and went inside.
While clerk was reaching a shelf to get
him some publications from which to make
his choice, the desire to steal took hold OF
him SO strongly that he slipped ahvmn-book
that was on a counter into his coat-pOcket
without being detected. On arriving at his
said he had to take the volume if he died in
the ~
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
LARGE ENGINES.
The Greatest Number in Use in Any One
Country of the World.

The Greatest Number in Use in Any One
Country of the World.
1t appears from the statistics of the
Berlin bureau of statistics that four-ffths
of the engines now working in the world
have been constructed during the last
twenty-five years. France owns 1880
stationary, or locomotive boilers, 1000 To-
.comotives and 1850 boats boilers; Ger
many has $4,000 boilers, 10000 loco
motives and ZOO ships boilers; Austria,
10000 boilers and $500 locomotives. The
force equivalent to the working steam
engines represents in the United States,
100000 horsepower; in England,
100000 horsepower; in Germany,
4,5O0,0O0; in France, 100000, and in
Austria, 100000. In these figures the
motive power of the locomotives is not
included, whose number in all the world
amounts to 100000, representing total
of 100000 horsepower. Adding this
amount to the other powers we obtain the
total of 46000000 horsepower. A steam
horsepower is equal to three actual
horses power; and a living horse is equal
to seven men. The steam-engines of the
world represent therefore, the work of
1000, 100000 men, or more than double
the working population of the earth,
whose total population amounts to 49,
$4,000 inhabitants. Steam has accord
ingly tRbled mans working power, en-
abling him to economic his physical
strength while attending to his intellect
ual development.-Erch
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10

from other craft. She is generally fast
and upon the bowsprit is an iron stan
chion bearing rest, so that man can
stand here and lean against it. Lashed
to the bowsprit is long harpoon, known,
from it's supposed resemblance to lily, as
the Oily iron" To this is attached long
rope, which is coiled in tub, and in turn
fastened to gayly-painted keg. Thus
equipped the sword fisherman sets sail,
and once upon the grounds man is sent
aloft to keep his weather eye out" If
good fortune is in store for the gallant
craft the man at the masthead soon sings
out, Fish ahoyv' "Where away?"
shouts the skipper. 1.-TWO points off the
weather bow" comes the answer; and
forthwith the schooner falls away and
follows the directions given by the man
who has seen the top or dorsal fin of
the swordsman dashing along. In the
meantime the mate has taken his place
in the cage on the bowsprit-has I'M
dashed the iron lily and stands ready.
Another man sees to the rope-that it is
clear, and is ready to toss over the keg.
The schooner shoots ahead and soon the
man at the wheel sees the fish
and steers accordingly so as to
bring it on the weather bow. Not
word is said and inch by inch they gain
on the dashing privateer-now they are
up with it. The man at the wheel gives
turn the nose" of the schooner turns
up into the wind and the fish is brought
across the bow. The harpooner raises
his arm; a second of suspense, and the
steel lily has gone glistening into the
gamy fish that, with a tremendous leap
of fear, terror and surprise, disappears
in whirlpool of foam. That, caught by
the breeze, drenches the man and deck
The line is rushing over the side, making
music that the men like to hear, and the
schooner is kept off to give it full play.
The coils leap from the tub like living
things, and sometimes smoke rises from
the wood work telling of the strength of
the noble fish as the end of the rope ap-
proaches. The mate takes the keg in
hand, and as the last coil goes over the
buoy is tossed after it to dance away
over the waves and eventually tire out
the swordtish. The schooner now
merely follows the key, which can be
plainly seen, and it is but a question
of time when the fish will become ex-
hausted. When the key comes to stand
still the schooner rounds to; the dory is
lowered, and it is picked up; the first
pull generally starts the fish to renewed
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
A SEA SWORDSMAN.
THE FORCE WELDED BY THIS
KNIGHT OF THE OCEAN.
Notable Ships Which Have Been Attacked
by this Fish and Their Injuries-A Gem
eral Appearance Resembling the Shark
Eagerly Sought After as Delicacy.
LCopyrighted, 1871

"Ship's a leak, sir" The speaker was
the second mate of large ship out
bound from a Chinese port. The well
had been sounded that morning as usual,
and foot or more of water found in the
hold, and the leak, as the ship had just
been repaired, was mystery.
The cargo was tea, silk and other valu
able goods, so the captain, after vainly try
ing to discover the cause Of the trouble,
ordered the ship about. A few days later
she was "hove down" in port, and near
the keel was found a hole about an inch
in diameter, through which the water
had poured. The hole was evidently made
from the outside, and penetrated cop
per, planking and sheathing. There were
only two animals capable of intiicting
such an injury-one was the sWordhsh,
and the other a member of the
whale tribe-the Norwhal-but neither
of these animals was supposed to have the
strength to pull out its sword after
striking such blow. The sailors de-
cided that the swordtsh was the attack
ing party, and upon the return OF the
ship to England the company that owned
the Dreadnaught-for it was this famous
clipper-sued the insurance company for
damages, and the swordtish made its first
appearance in court, represented, how
ever, by Mr.. Frank auckland, the nat
uralist, Professor Owen and several
Others The case was one of great in
terest, and for the first time the general
public obtained an idea Of the force
welded by this swordsman of the ocean.
Mr.. auckland, when asked to give an
idea of the power of blow from one of
these fishes, replied that he considered it
equal to nine or ten blows given with
hammer weighing thirty pounds. His
testimony convicted the swordtish and
obtained damages for the ship.
The force with which these fishes
strike vessel can hardly be imagined I'M
less the wound is seen; and the occur
renee is far more common than generally
supposed. Hardly week passes
but a vessel or boat is struck bya
swordfish in some part of the
world 1t is generally supposed
that thefshes mistake vessels for -
some enemy and rush headlong
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
A CARDINALS SERVANTS.
The Greeting Given the American Prelate
ON His Return.

The Greeting Given the American Prelate
on His Return.
An unexpected episode occurred one night
recently, at the residence of Cardinal Gibbons,
North Charles street, Baltimore, Just after the
prelate reached home from his overland trip.
Hardly had he entered the door when he
became aware of heated quarrel between
two female domestics. The indications
strongly pointed to hair-pulling match. In
his usual gentle way, the cardinal approached
pleasing smile Modified their feelings. One
had grudge against the osher. She with
the grievance stopped growing only long
enough to allow the cardinal to go to his
room, when she aimed a fire Of words
again at her opponent. The latter retreated,
but the man9uvre was not successful, for the
other followed with not over-choice express
sions. At last the noise and confusion of
the windy warfare became so unbearable that
the cardinal essayed second time to quell
the disturbance. When he reached the apart
ment where the women were, the aggrieved
one was souaring off for fight. :.
The presence of the cardinal did
not subdue her inclnations in the least.
On the contrary, she made dash for the OBJ
ject of her wrath, and was only prevented
reaching her by the prelate This made
her blood boil SO with anger that she became
general in her remarks. Seeing she was not
in reasonable mood, the cardinal, after clear
ing the second woman from the room, turned
away and went smilingly up stairs. One
Of the priests tried to quiet the excited
female, but only succeeded in receiving a
challenge from her to fight. She an
nounced that she would have any one
who put hand on her arrested The
affair was treated as a huge joke, until
policeman happened along, and hearing the
woman who BY this time had gone outside
the residence, scolding, ordered her away
She left and in few hours returned highly
penitent, with the excuse that her temper
had run mad with her. She lost her sit
nation
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
A BIG SUIT.
Brought to Recover Valuable Land in the
CITY of Baltimore.


The suit of the heirs of one Zeinsz, who gave
the Zion Church property and other lots on
Gay and Holiday streets, between Orange al
ley and Saratoga street, Baltimore, Md, to the
use of the German Lutheran denomination in
perpetuity, against the present owners prom
Uses to become the most celebrated of its kind
in the history of litigation in that city. The
ground was decided for its original purposeln
1898 by Zeinsz to trustees of the church to
be held by them for the use specified They
sold parcels of itseventy-tiye years ago. A
young lawyer there, R. B. Tippett,, made the
discovery and after year of hard work To-
Gated all the living heirs of Zeinsz some Of
whom reside in York, Pa. He told them of
what is alleged to be legal violation of the
instructions of the original deed and was au-
thorized to enter suit TOR all of them against
the mayor and City Council, who own the
colored public school on Holiday 5l street street
owners, claiming large damages and re-
turn of the property.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10

Daly's new comedy is entitled tn. Inc -. n Ion
Dad of Love" 1t is presumed the pAi'oA'
attends to the tiles.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
The Long and Short of it.

Edward Atkinson has been examining the
records in ready-made clothing establish
ments to discover whether the white man in
the United States is deteriorating in size and
weight. The general result is that the aver
age height of New Englanders is found to be
feet 81 inches, and of Southerners . feet III
inches. The average weight of Americans
is between 1856 and 16O pounds. Mr.. Atkin-
son also discovered that the average height
and weight Of men in this country have in
creased perceptibly since the war. He is con-
WINGED that Americans are increasing rather
than decreasing in size-Erchaage.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
LONGFELLOW,SE EXPLANATION.
low the Dish of Clam-Chowder S OK
French Origin.

HOW Cn6 DtSn Ol
French Origin.
more than thirty years ago., says
correspondent of the London Table, Il
,eard the poet Longfellow urge French
adv to eat some clam chowder, because
was French. The lady looked up in
,s,onishment, and uttered a Significant
omu.ent done! Unto which LongtelloW
eplied that the French originally se'tlea
n the borders of New England, ana
Iother Necessity soon taught them how
o stew clans and fish in layers WIN
aeon, sea biscuits (crackers), and olher
Ingredients in a kettle (chandleIe)
<ow from the French the IN
,ans learnt the Roman Catholic reil-
ION, and a little of the French language
nd q orea, deal of the dish which the new
nmers had invented The Indians were
-, an, in the pronunciation, or IN inc
.yniticance of French, and when they
card the Gaul speak OF the chaou'ele,
,e Indian supposed it referred 10 Tue
,od and his nearest approach 10 'he
enumeration was chawder-the name
hich early English fishermen ana se,-
rrs learned from the Indian, and when
he Anglo Saxon in the new world iur'hef
,,rrunled into MISUNDERSTANDING.
,,..,, ,,o,, comedy is entitled the XIII"
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-10
WASHINGTON LIFE.
PROMINENT PEOPLE WHO LIVE AT
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.

Society There a Strange Mixture-The Pro-
gramme Laid Down at the White House.
How Mrs. Cleveland and the Cabinet
Ladies' Receive-Famous Hotel Livers.
The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-31
The CID YEAR AND TEE NEW

On that last rock whence winds are whtried
To all the earth, the 0id year stands;
He totters, and with trembling hands
Uubars the gateway ut the world.
Come i'll. come IN - lie tecb,y cries,
For soon the bell viii toll tha Gour
That uSncrs IA you lease OF power
And crowns you hing beneath inc shieS.'
And Ieapinu from the outer wall,
The New Year laughs, and scans the sccne-
An, brother did, what sorrow keen
Must ehiu your neart TO leave it all
SORROW i faith MY own desire
WoGld long ago have led me odt
Beyond thr-e walls that girt about
The living world like lanes .! nre."
All, brother old. you lcst-what, then,
l. not this orb thar favored one
That rolls around the silent sun
Made sOnorDu- with the songs ut m"H?'
''Yca, ii. that world. but all yc Years
Who deem It, Therefore, happy, great,
Must learn your error all too late
And dim your eyes with Sorrows tears.
The scheme of life is ncom Petc;
Where one man rises many fall;
Que builds palace hundreds call
In vain from ryOlzss field and street
"One wakes rich thousand itunt
The wretched rags OF want and woe
One .appy iace sou see, but 10,
The host that follow worn and @aunt.
"Ah, look away-!Ou heed mc not,
You ook and laugh ana have no fear;
But wait uii ynn have :eigued your Year,
Tnen meet me On TINS very spot
Nay, brother old, you do me wrong;
Your speech heed, bu. look away,
Because | long to see the day
| And hear the Luueiul nttln-song.
| My veins are flied with joyous youth,
M heart beats high with hopeful trust
That ali shall shape to something Just,
That inal lite is final truth.
| The seed lies hid meath winter sod,
But spungtime brings The golden wheat;
The unknown hides the lli-compicte
| As God the Man. a. Man the God
| The old year passed with cnueriess mirth,
| The gateway closed with cre,k and can@.
| but song aud shout and blthe bells rang
| The New Years name to al! the EARTH
John GroSreHOr HtiSon, in The Journalist
The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-31
SILLY SUFFERERS.
what Women who Are slaves tn Faahiou
Bave Endured and still Endure.

what Women who Are slaves tn Fashion
Have Endured and still Endure.
Uscqr HHde in UOmdHs Horid.
Miss l.. tfier- i rnlm's statement, in a
lecture. it Ilver.d recently 1T st saviour s
HOSPITAL. mat "~he had heard of instances
whega ladies' were so determined not to
exceed She fashionable measurement that
hrY had actually held on to cross bar
while sheir MATHS fastened the fifteen Inch
CORSET has excited IA great deal of incre
durify ont there is nothing really imprnb
able IA it From the sixteenth century
t.: our Iwn dsy there IS hardly any form
Of torture that has not been inflicted on
iris, ami endurGd ov women, in obc3i
eucs 80 the dictates of an unreasonable
and nlunstruus fashion. In order to OBJ
tain real Spanish figure" says Mon
taigur, Whist Gshanna of suffering
sill not women endure, drawn i'll and
compressed by great cpGhcs entering the
flesh; nay, sometimes they even die
thereof" "
"A lew days after my arrival at
school, Trs. Sonervilla tells us in her
memoirs. although perfectly straight and
well made. 1 was enclosed i'll stiff stays
with "a steel husk III front; while above
my frock, bands drew my shou 'dors back
I'LL the shoulder blades met Then 4
steel rod with semiCircie which went
under my c"lu, Was clasped to the steel
husk in nay stays. In this constrained
state ana most OF the younger gIrls had
70 prepare our Isssons;' and i'll the life
of Miss E igeworJh We read that, being
sent to certain fashionable establish
ment "she underwent all the usual tor
tunes of back boards, iron collars and
dunrhs, and also (because she was very
tiny prrSCn) the unusual one Of being
hung uy the neck to draw OUT tine mus
cles aud increase the growth" signal
failure III her case.
Indeed, INSTANCES of absolute mutils
ton and misery are so common i'll the
past that it is unnecessary 10 multiply
,hrtu; buf it is really sad t" think that in
cur owu day a civilized woman can hang
ON to a cross bar while her maid faces
her waist into d hiteeuiDch circle. To